ACT 207 (previously ACT 155) Petition for your High School Diploma

According to Act 155 passed in 2014 (Now Act 207, passed in 2016), students who met all course
requirements but did not receive a high school diploma because they did not pass the BSAP or HSAP exit
exams may now petition Williston School District Board of Trustees to receive a high school
diploma. Please allow at least 6-8 weeks for processing, printing, and delivery.

Petition Process Procedures:

● The petition form, a valid photo ID, and a copy of your birth certificate can be submitted to the
Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Accountability (District Contact) for review. The petition form, a valid
photo ID, and a copy of your birth certificate can be mailed or submitted to the Williston School District #29
District Office, Attention: Debra McCord.
● The petition will be verified by the Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Accountability using official transcripts in
consultation with the Guidance Counselor at Williston-Elko High School.
● Once verified by the Director of Curriculum, Instruction & Accountability, the status of the petition will be updated to
approved or denied.
● A list of all approved petitions will be submitted to the Superintendent and Board Chair on a
monthly basis.
● The district contact will send a letter to all individuals regarding their petition status.
● All approved petitions will be forwarded to the State Department of Education for diploma printing.
● Each petitioner will be contacted to pick up the diploma from the District Office, once it has been
received from the SDE. A valid photo ID must be presented at the time of pick up.

Act 207/ACT 155 Diploma FAQs:

When is the High School Exit Exam eliminated as a requirement for high school
graduation?
The exit exam is eliminated as a graduation requirement to receive a S.C. high school diploma
beginning with the graduating class of 2015.

May a person who did not receive a passing score on the exit exam receive a S.C. high
school diploma?
Yes, a person no longer enrolled in a public school who was denied graduation solely for failing
to meet the exit exam requirements may petition the local school board to determine eligibility to
receive a high school diploma.

When did the exit exam requirement for high school graduation apply?
There are exit exam requirements for graduation going back to the graduating class of 1990.
Persons who did not meet the exit exam requirements for the Basic Skills Assessment Program
(BSAP) or the exit exam requirements under the High School Assessment Program (HSAP) may
petition their local school board to receive a S.C. high school diploma.

What if the person has moved from the school district where they went to high school?
The person should petition the school board of the district where they attended high school.

What if the high school they attended is no longer in operation or has merged with another
high school?
The person would still petition the school board of the district where they attended high school.

What type of high school diploma will the person receive?
Once the petition has been approved by the local school board, a standard S.C. high school
diploma will be ordered. The diploma will be a current diploma issued from the high school that
currently serves the attendance area where the person went to high school.

What name will be used for the diploma?
Under current diploma guidelines, the name as it appears on the birth certificate will be used.

What requirements must be met for the petitioner to receive a diploma under the law?
You must have met all of the graduation requirements, except for passing the exit exam, for the
year in which you would have graduated.

How will school boards know what requirements were in place at the time the person went
to high school?
The basic graduation requirements, including the number and types of credits, are included in the
diploma-ordering procedures that have been sent to all school districts from the South Carolina
Department of Education.

Who will make the determination as to persons having met all of the graduation
requirements?
The local school board will establish a procedure and process for considering the eligibility of
the petitioner to receive a diploma.

When will petitions be accepted?
As of July 1, 2016, the local school boards will establish a procedure for petitioning to receive a
diploma under the law.

Is there a deadline for petitioning the local school board?
There no longer is a petition deadline.

What procedure is in place to request a S.C. diploma under the law?
Once local school boards have determined eligibility to receive diplomas, the diplomas will be
ordered through procedures established by the South Carolina Department of Education.

How long will it take to receive a diploma once it is ordered?
The South Carolina Department of Education is working with the diploma printer to process the
orders. It may take three or four weeks to complete. The diplomas will be sent to the school
districts for distribution to the petitioners.

Will diplomas granted under these laws affect graduation rates as reported for state and
federal accountability?
No, the act specifically states that persons receiving diplomas under these laws will not be
counted as graduates for determining graduation rates of schools and districts.

Will student transcripts be adjusted?
An official transcript will not be adjusted, but a separate documentation should be attached to the
transcripts by the high school or district indicating the students received high school diplomas
pursuant to Act 155 and Act 207.

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